Petunia plant named ‘MPD2’

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of  Petunia  plant named ‘MPD2’, characterized by its compact, outwardly spreading and cascading plant habit; freely branching habit; and numerous small double flowers that are light purple in color with dark violet-colored venation.

Botanical designation: Petunia×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘MPD2’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petuniaplant, botanically known as Petunia×hybrida, and hereinafter referred toby the cultivar name MPD2.

The new Petunia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Cobbitty, New South Wales, Australia. The objective ofthe breeding program is to create new Petunias with numerous smalldouble flowers with attractive flower colors.

The new Petunia originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventorin December, 2001 of a proprietary Petunia×hybrida selection identifiedas X01.154.3, not patented, as the female, or seed parent, with aproprietary Petunia×hybrida selection identified as PKC27, not patented,as the male, or pollen parent. The new Petunia was selected as a singleplant from the resulting progeny of the cross-pollination by theInventor in a controlled environment in Cobbitty, New South Wales,Australia in October, 2002.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings in acontrolled environment in Cobbitty, New South Wales, Australia sinceOctober, 2002 has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia arestable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar MPD2 have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique charcteristics of ‘MPD2’. These chacteristics incombination distinguish ‘MPD2’ as a new and distinct Petunia cultivar:

-   -   1. Compact, outwardly spreading and cascading plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Numerous small double flowers that are light purple in color        with dark violet-colored venation.

Plants of the Petunia differ primarily from plants of the female parentselection in flower form as plants of the female parent selection havesingle flowers. Compared to plants of the male parent selection, plantsof the new Petunia are more compact and have a more spreading planthabit. In addition, plants of the new Petunia differ primarily fromplants of the male parent selection in flower coloration as plants ofthe male parent selection have white-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the cultivarTedropur, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,179. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Cobbitty, New South Wales, Australia, plants ofthe new Petunia differed from plants of the cultivar Tedropur in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia were more spreading than plants of        the cultivar Tedropur.    -   2. Plants of the new Petunia and the cultivar Tedropur differed        in flower coloration as plants of the cultivar Tedropur have        purple violet-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Petunia.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspectiveview of a typical flowering plant of ‘MPD2’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a close-up view oftypical flowers and leaves of ‘MPD2’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown in Lompoc, Calif., under commercialpractice during the winter and early spring in a polycarbonate-coveredgreenhouse with day temperatures ranging from 21 to 24° C., nighttemperatures ranging from 16 to 18° C., and light levels ranging from5,000 to 9,000 foot candles. Plants were grown for about 14 weeks withone plant per 14-cm container. In the following description, colorreferences are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart,1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical Classification: Petunia×hybrida cultivar MPD2.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary Petunia×hybrida selection            identified as X01.154.3, not patented.        -   Male parent.—Proprietary Petunia×hybrida selection            identified as PKC27, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About 10 days at 22° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About three weeks at            22° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant shape and habit.—Annual flowering plant;            indeterminate; compact; initially upright, then low,            outwardly spreading and cascading plant habit; plants            eventually becoming hemispherical to spherical in shape.            Viscid and glandular pubescent. Vigorous growth habit.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branching with about eight main            branches each with lateral branches potentially at every            node.        -   Plant height.—About 16 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 38 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 32 cm. Diameter: About            2.5 mm. Internode length: About 1.1 cm. Texture: Pubescent.            Color: 145A.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Before flowering            commences: Alternate, simple. After flowering commences:            Opposite; simple. Length: About 2.7 cm. Width: About 1.5 cm.            Shape: Elliptical. Apex: Rounded to broadly acute. Base:            Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Slightly pubescent; glandular. Venation pattern:            Pinnate; arcuate. Color: Developing foliage, upper and lower            surfaces: 144A. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 146A.            Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 146B. Venation, upper            and lower surfaces: 146B. Petiole length: About 7 mm.            Petiole diameter: About 2 mm. Petiole texture: Sparsely            pubescent. Petiole color: 144B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Double flowers; flowers face mostly            upward or outward; axillary. Flowers persistent. Very freely            flowering, about 24 open flowers and flower buds per lateral            branch.        -   Natural flowering season.—Long day responsive; spring until            frost in the autumn; flowering continuous.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About seven to ten days.        -   Fragrance.—Light, spicy, floral.        -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 3 cm. Height (depth): About            3 cm. Tube length: About 1.8 cm. Throat diameter, distal            end: About 3 mm. Tube diameter, proximal end: About 3 mm.        -   Flower buds (showing color).—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter:            About 6 mm. Shape: Obovate. Color: 145D.        -   Corolla.—Quantity/arrangement: About seven fused outer            petals, funnelform; interior to outer whorl, about five            fused petaloids; at center, about six free petaloids. Petal            length from throat: About 1.3 cm. Petal width: About 1 cm.            Petal/petaloid shape: Roughly obovate or spatulate.            Petal/petaloid apex: Rounded. Petal/petaloid margin: Entire;            sinuate. Petal/petaloid texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, velvety. Color: Petal/petaloid, upper surface, when            opening: 86D; venation, 79A. Petal/petaloid, lower surface,            when opening: 75C; venation, 77A. Petal/petaloid, upper            surface, fully opened: 76B; venation, 86A. Petal/petaloid,            lower surface, fully opened: 76C to 76D; venation, 77A.            Flower throat (inside): 79A; venation, 79A. Flower tube            (outside): 144A; venation, 79B.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five sepals            fused at base, star-shaped. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About            2.5 mm. Shape: Linear. Apex: Rounded. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper            surface: 146A. Color, lower surface: 146B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2 cm. Width: About 1 mm. Angle:            About 45° from the stem. Strength: Strong. Texture:            Pubescent. Color: 146A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: None observed, transformed            into petaloids. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil            length: About 2 mm. Stigma shape: Bi-lobed, somewhat            asymmetrical. Stigma color: 145D. Style length: About            1.5 mm. Style color: 145A. Ovary color: 145C.        -   Fruit/seed.—Fruit and seed production has not been observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to Petunia.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed    to tolerate temperatures from 4 to 34° C.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant named ‘MPD2’, asillustrated and described.